1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus of feeding corrugated boards (hereinafter referred to merely as a board) to a box processing machine. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus of feeding individual boards in their right posture to a right place in the box processing machine, wherein the boards are previously cut to a required size with slits and longitudinal flutes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a box processing machine employs a contrivance for feeding boards, which are previously cut to a required size with slits and first folding flutes. The boards are contained in a hopper from which they are fed one at a time to a subsequent processing station. In such cases it is common practice to employ feeding rollers located between the hopper and the processing station, which is most commonly a printing station. As is generally known, it is essential to feed boards consistently to the right place in the printing station in their right posture to avoid printing shears.
In a conventional feeding system, however, a difficulty has been found in feeding boards with flutes. The fluted parts are thin compared with the other plane parts of the board, and these parts tend to cause the boards to slip between the feeder rollers, and consequently, permit the boards to become displaced from their right posture. In order to solve this problem, the gap between the feeder rollers were slightly restricted. But the restricted gap tends to crush the corrugated cores in the board and to deform the same. When damaged in the corrugated core, the board is liable to breakage therefrom.
The present invention is directed toward solving the problems pointed out above with respect to the conventional feeding system, and has for its object to provide an improved method and apparatus for feeding boards in their right posture to a right place in the subsequent processing station.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific embodiments are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.